Understanding youth engagement in cocoa farming: motivations, challenges, access to support services and farm performance in central Cameroon

We investigated the motivations of youth in Cameroon to engage in cocoa farming, their challenges, their participation in agricultural programmes, their access to services and their performance, and the factors influencing these. A quantitative approach focused on young cocoa farmers, beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the New Generation Programme was used. We surveyed 309 young cocoa farmers selected through a multi-stage stratified sampling. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, inferential tests, and regression analysis. Cocoa cultivation is mainly driven by farm inheritance, potential income, and its popularity. Major challenges were climate change, labour scarcity, capital availability, and pests and diseases. Programme participation was positively associated with age, experience, number of plots, and total cocoa lands. BMP adoption intensity was positively related to labour hiring, programme membership, and access to support. Cocoa yield and net returns were positively associated with BMP adoption intensity, age of productive plots, total cocoa land, gender, and experience. Certification was positively associated with net returns only. These findings highlight the importance of gender-responsive policies and climate adaptation strategies. They suggest that cocoa yield and profitability can be improved by providing youth with support to increase BMP adoption. We conclude with recommendations for policymakers and value chain actors.